Catholics, including the pope, are expected to docilely accept the teachings of the church, but only as they come to trust in those teachings, only to the extent that their own conscience is formed and allows them to honestly do so. This is called the sensus fidelium. It's an agreement with the church. "Cultural Catholics" don't necessarily possess it at all in my experience.
As for councils, yes, if we remain apart from any group or institution that might be able to render a judgment on a particular question, such as was done in Jerusalem early on, then at least we can feel more safely seated on the fence for the time being I suppose, making our own personal judgments about their activity perhaps. OTOH there are Protestants who at least do accept the dogma of their particular denomination-and all Christians have our own personal dogmas whether we realize it or not.
I know people will not understand this and will be offended alittle. It's not anything bad however, its just the truth. WE should never follow a Church. We should follow the scripture and the Lord within. Both Revelation 3 and Paul's revelation as well warn us about apostasy in the Church. Its just not wise to follow a Church. Christ promised that if we would keep His words then the spirit would teach us. Why don't people believe this? When Paul said that the Lord sent apostles and teachers he was referring to Him and the other apostles and teachers who established the Church. Perhaps some churches have good teachers, but there is no guarantee that a Church has good teachers. For this reason we must follow the scriptures for our self.
This is Gods plan, it must be because why else would he say the things found in the scripture below? One might even argue that denying this truth may actually be breaking the covenant that God made. See Jeremiah below. The promise of the spirit is a sign of the New Covenant! Is the Church blind in these last days? We cannot deny the truth in these scriptures. We must embrace this truth.
Jeremiah 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
John 14:2 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received from Him abideth in you, and ye have no need that any man teach you. But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in Him.
Mathew 23:8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ,
and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.
John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
